TAP: Teacher Adoption Program

Goal: To provide MISD teachers with a voluntary community of tangible support, care, and encouragement

Applications for the 2020-2021 school year will open in July. 

How does TAP work?

• An individual, small group, or family volunteers to “adopt” a teacher for the 2019-2020 school year. Background checks required. 
• Both teacher and volunteer(s) commit to a monthly face-to-face meal/coffee.
• Volunteer(s) agree to tangibly and regularly connect with teacher via encouraging letters, care package, meal, etc.​

Why would a program like this help?

• Teacher attrition rate is on the rise: 
  “Levels of attrition are estimated to be nearly 8% of the workforce annually and are responsible for the largest share of annual demand (of teachers). The teaching workforce continues to be a leaky bucket, losing hundreds of thousands of teachers each year—the majority of them before retirement age. Changing attrition would change the projected shortages more than any other single factor.” [Learning Policy Institute]
   
• High teacher attrition rate is tied to a decline in education quality:
  “The cost of attrition to student learning and district budgets is significant. Teachers are the number one in-school influence on student achievement. Research finds that high rates of turnover harm student achievement.” [Learning Policy Institute]

Teachers' responses* to “What are your greatest challenges as an MISD teacher?”:

• Top answer: New to Midland/Loneliness
• 2) Lack of teaching resources
• 3) Lack of respect/community support

*In a survey of 935 Midland ISD teachers

FAQs

• Can I be matched with a specific teacher of my choosing?
  • Yes, but for TAP to facilitate the relationship the teacher must also apply to the program. If you already know the teacher and have their contact information, you do not have to go through our application process and can initiate the relationship on your own. We do ask that you consider adopting a teacher that you do not already know. This will help them build more connections and relationships within our community. 
     
• If my family or organization is adopting a teacher do we all have to complete a background check?
  • No. Only the person that will be the primary contact for the teacher must complete a background check/application.
     
• How does the matching process work?
  • The form you fill out when signing up for the program contains many questions that ask for details about you. We compare the answers to these questions and try to match a teacher and volunteer that have some similarities.
     
• Do I have to be a Midland ISD teacher to sign up for the program?
  • ​Yes, currently the Midland Chamber of Commerce only has an agreement with the Midland Independent School District to facilitate the program. We are hoping to expand the program to encompass all Midland schools and teachers one day, but agreements must be in place.